Japan tests roads for wireless EV charging, aims to implement the tech by 2025

A Japanese construction group joined hands with auto parts supplier Denso to start testing road pavement designed to power electric vehicles while they drive, aiming to have practical technology by 2025, reported Nikkei. This technology would allow electric vehicles to be charged automatically as they drive on the road, claims the report.

The report also claims that at the research centre of the construction company in Tokyo, a small electric vehicle was able to run almost continuously at a speed of 15 kmph on a course with uninterrupted lines of electrical coils embedded beneath the surface.

The development comes at a time when electric vehicles have been growing rapidly, and almost all the auto manufacturers around the world are increasingly focusing on electric vehicles. However, despite the immense growth potential for electric vehicles, the lack of widespread charging stations presents a hurdle in front of bringing these vehicles into the mainstream.

Setting up charging stations and electric vehicle chargers often face a challenge in the form of land availability, especially when it comes to setting them up in urban areas. However, wireless charging technology on the road, for vehicles while travelling, could be a great solution, as it will not require any charging station that could face a land crunch, vehicular congestion etc. For the vehicle owners as well, charging on the go means they can save a lot of crucial time without waiting in the cue at a charging station.

Research claims that electric vehicle charging infrastructure around the world will reach a market value of $212,414.5 million by 2031, growing at a pace of 33.2 per cent annually between 2021 and 2031. This growth projection is claimed to be driven by the increasing production and sales of electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, rapid urbanization, growing concerns regarding the negative impact of carbon footprint, rising initiatives and subsidies by government and environmental agencies, and the deployment of the 5G and artificial intelligence technologies, claims Research and Markets.